Hope and Destruction
by AlphaNinn
Summary: This was origanally posted under a different author name. But it's mine. So, read it,and review it, it's good.


Hope and Destruction   
By: Ninn 

________________________________________________________________   


Hidden away from prying eyes among the great oceans lay a single very   
small island. Contained within, hidden from many generations, was a secret that   
had spawned great legends of hope, and legends just as great of destruction.   
Impossible to reach by all but one mean, and even then, it took more   
luck than anyone had possessed in the search. 

An aircraft, equipped for long periods of travel flew low over the   
southern continent, returning home. Below them, a field passed by quickly,   
animals running for cover, flowers of various colors parted harshly from the   
downdraft.   
On the craft, the mood was one of impatience. The crew had searched   
for months, turning up nothing. The same as searches before them, and the   
same as searches after them. 

200 generations prior. 

She stood in a small room. There were too many people   
crammed in it, and she wanted to leave, to get out of the thick, cloying air. She   
wanted to leave, but she could not. There was discussion going on around her,   
meaningless arguments that would only lead to more arguing. She waited   
patiently for her turn to speak, but felt herself beginning to daydream   
nonetheless. The arguments slowed, and she found herself immersed in the   
events of the past week.   
  
She was standing with two other people. The air around them was of   
sadness, as they had lost two of their companions in the past battles. Now, they   
were getting harder, and their numbers were getting less.   
"Xala," one of her companions said, "Are you ready?"   
She nodded slowly, her hand closing aroung the red orb that hung   
aroung her neck in a makeshift necklace. She wasn't supposed to use it, she   
didn't even know what it did. They had other powerful magic. "Let's go."   
"Wait a minute," her other copanion, had said "We don't have all our   
magic - we're missing our revive spells," she paused, looking in her bag "And we   
don't have any items for that purpose."   
That had unsettled her, "Then no one can get killed," she said, her voice   
of confidence, a confidence that she did not feel.   
With an air of hopefulness they had headed into the next challenge. The   
enemy had fallen, but only after a long time, and her two companions had been   
killed. She had been wounded, but was able to cure herself. Now, she was truly   
afraid. Alone, she might not succeed in the battles, no the battle, at that point   
there was only one ememy left. She had sat there for a long time, waiting for   
nothing to happen. The orb humg at her neck, taunting her, but she knew that   
she could not use it.   
She had taken the magic off of her companions, stocking her weapon   
and armor, and hoped that it would be enough. It hadn't been.   
The enemy was a monster, in form and in being. It was intelligent, and   
had nearly killed her. Every attack she had tried, physical or magical, had cured   
it. She had tried curative magic, thinking it was undead, but that too healed it. In   
desperation, she had used the orb at her neck, watching the attack in   
amazement and in horror. It was powerful, and the enemy had fallen, and when   
the dust had settled she could see that the room that the fight had taken place in   
was now open to the air.   
She stared at the orb, now in her hand, and regarded it with a sense of   
respect. If it fell into the wrong hands..... 

"Xala, you may speak now."   
The voice jolted her from her daydreaming.   
"You all know that there was a great battle two days ago," Xala said with   
no formaities, despite the fact that many of the people there were her superiors   
"The end results of it were horrible. My companions were killed, and I barely   
escaped with my life."   
"We know this, Xala. Please get to the point."   
Xala nodded and continued "This," she held up the orb "it what caused   
it. I was at an extreme disatvantage, all my attacks were healing the creature,   
and I was nearly dead. Despite the advice and warnings I had recieved, I had no   
choice but to use it. It destroyed not only the enemy, but the surrounding area   
was also destroyed. If someone uses this for the wrong purpose, I don't want to   
know what could happen," Xala finished, and looked around the room. There   
were quiet discussions, and Xala stepped back.   
"What do you want to do with it?" Someone in the back asked.   
Xala looked up quickly and thought for a second before answering "Put it   
somewhere inaccessable. Where it can only be got at by one mean."   
"If it's as dangerous as you say, they why don't we just destroy it?"   
"In the future, a situation far worse than this one may arise."   
"Xala, I know of such a place. Would you take it there?"   
"I guess I have to," she said quietly. 

The place turned out to be a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. High   
mountians surrounding it kept it safe. In the crater between the mountians, off to   
the side was a cave. Xala, not knowing where else to put it, set it on a table like   
rock in the middle. It glowed, giving the room an eerie glow.   
Xala hurried out, she wanted nothing more to be back at her house. Her   
transportation stood in the middle of the crater and she got on, riding away from   
the island, staring only at the ocean in front of her. 

Present 

The situation had been growing progressively worse. Meteor had been   
summoned. The planet was doomed and would be dead within weeks if nothing   
was done to stop it.   
She had summoned Holy, but even as she had knelt there, tightly   
clasping the small piece of materia she knew that it was only a last attempt, one   
that would either work or it wouldn't. She had barely managed to finish   
summoning it when she had been killed by the long terrible blade of Sepiroth's   
sword.   
When she had been a small child, even before her mother was dead,   
she had told her a legend, or maybe it wasn't a legend. She had to swear not to   
tell anyone, but her mother knew that the seceret wasn't as well kept as it should   
have been, as it was becoming a popular story, even if people didn't believe it.   
Her mother had hoped that she would never have to use it, but now it seemed to   
be so. She had been told where it was and how to get to it. It was amazing that   
she still remembered how.   
A grim smile crossed the face of the ghost. After she had been killed she   
had gone back to the church in the slums, one of the places where she had   
always felt most comfortable.   
For her to follow the group further would have been impossible. While   
she greatly wanted to do so, and she knew that some of the felt the same way,   
she knew they would be able to feel her presence and welcome or not that would   
be unsettling.   
No, there paths were different. They would cross again, but that would   
only be for a short time, and she wasn't sure of when it would happen.   
She moved like a fluid, floating closer to the flowers. After such a long   
time of absence they were blooming as full as ever. That was good - there was   
no way she could care for them now - not ever. Dimly she reflected that they   
would be destroyed when Meteor hit, if it wasn't stopped.   
Two small children came in and sat by the flowers, a boy and a girl, they   
were dressed in rags, and sat by the flowers, doing nothing. One of them looked   
up, almost as if he could see her, then glanced back down, looking sad.   
She raised her head and looked at the door. If one of the came here,   
she might be able to tell them where the island was and how they could get   
there. If one of them came back. But why would they? They had nothing to do   
here, but she wouldn't give up hope.   
If it had been possible for her to cry, she would have.   
  
At the gate of Midgar stood a single man. He had been standing there   
for the past week searching in vain hopes that he would find the key he lost. His   
home was in that city, and he wanted to go back to his family. Now, his only   
hope was that someone would come through the gate, even if he had to wait   
there forever. Sitting down with his back to the wall, he gazed over the   
landscape and almost missed the two people approaching, arguing between   
themselves.   
"I know it's in there. I just have to get to Wall Market!" Tifa exclaimed   
"And don't use the argument that we're spending too much time going out of our   
way!" she said before Cloud could speak "We've practically gone over this entire   
planet for everyone else."   
"I never said no. I just said to hurry," Cloud replied. She made a face at   
him and grabbed the key from his hand.   
The gate opened easily and they passed through, Before the man   
outside could stand, the gate closed and the he cried out in dejection.   
Cloud and Tifa walked silently through the streets until they reached the   
Sector 7 slums.   
"Aeris," he muttered quietly.   
"Huh? Oh, yea... Listen, I'll go on ahead, you can catch up."   
He nodded and she walked on ahead. She knew that he wasn't over her   
death yet, and didn't feel like arguing.   
He had met Aeris here, and had saved her here. Now, she was gone.   
The small church that she had spent a lot of time at was standing in front   
of him. She had told him that she loved it there, where the flowers grew.   
Impulsively, he pushed open the heavy door. It was hanging on its   
hinges and was quite easy to open. Two young children were sitting over the   
flowers. They looked up, then returned to what they had been doing.   
Cloud walked over to the flower bed and stood there. One of the   
children, the girl, looked up at him.   
"Why hasn't the flower girl come back yet?" she asked timidly, fear   
evident in her voice.   
Cloud knelt down next to her, "She's not coming back," he said quietly   
"But, I'm sure her spirit is here."   
"Oh," she said, her voice no louder than a whisper.   
Standing again, watching memories in his mind, the air seemed to   
shimmer in front of him.   
"Aeris?" he whispered, wanting her to be there.   
'I am here," her voice rang in his mind 'Don't talk, just listen. The planet   
is going to die if something is not done.'   
"But, you summoned Holy," he whispered, well aware of the two pairs of   
eyes staring up at him.   
'For Meteor, yes. But Sepiroth and Jenova are an immediate threat, and   
they must be stopped soon. There is a small island in the North East Ocean.   
What you will find inside of it will help you greatly. It is extremely dangerous and   
should only be used in the most desperate situation. The only way to get there is   
by a Gold Chocobo,' she said, her voice fading. Cloud knew that he might never   
see or hear her again.   
"Good-bye, Aeris," he said and slowly walked out. 

Tifa was already there when he exited.   
"What is it?" she asked him, seeing the strange look on his face. It was   
an expression of sadness, but also one of acceptance.   
"Nothing," he looked down at her hands "You got them? Good, we can   
get out of the place."   
They walked out in silence. When they returned to the gate the man was   
still sitting there,   
"Hey! You! Can you help me here?"   
Cloud looked at him "What?"   
"I can't get back in, I lost my key to the gate. Please, my family is in   
there and I really want to see them before Meteor hits."   
"Alright," Cloud opened the gate and the man scurried inside.   
"Thanks. Really, I mean it!" he shouted as he ran quickly in the direction   
of the slums.   
Tifa looked at him as he ran "Strange."   
Cloud just shrugged.   
"Please, tell me what it is," she prodded gently   
"I know of a way to kill Sepiroth."   
"What? How?"   
"There's a small island in the ocean that can only be reached by a Gold   
Chocobo. It's supposed to contain something ultra-powerful."   
"I know how to get one easily!" she exclaimed "Well, it's not so easy, but   
if we can defeat that Weapon in the desert, it's supposed to give us something   
that we can trade for one," she shrugged. "Someone told me in Kalm that he   
would."   
"Well, then I guess we have no choice, it would take to long to breed   
one. I guess we should use Bahamut Zero. It's the most powerful one we have at   
the time."   
"Ok, Um, use the W-Summon and HP absorb, that thing is supposed to   
be powerful. Go at it alone, we only have one mime, and you should use it."   
"Alright," arranging the materia on his sword they headed for the   
dessert. 

The Weapon loomed in front of them, as if daring them to challenge it.   
"I'll wait back here. If you get in trouble I'll come it."   
He looked at her "Don't. What good what it do if we both got killed.   
Neither of us have any Revive materia."   
"I understand," she paused "Then you're just going to have to not get   
into trouble."   
She watched as he attacked the Weapon with his sword, initiating   
combat. She wanted to pull her eyes away, but couldn't. Instead, she sat and   
waited. 

Cloud stood under the giant creature and watched as it stuck it's giant   
claws into the sand. Time to begin.   
"Bahamut Zero! Twice!" he shouted, watching the creature come and   
attack.   
Bahamaut left. Before the Weapon could attack he shouted "Mime!"   
and watched as it happened again.   
The Weapon was powerful, no doubt about that, but it couldn't heal it's   
self, and Cloud gained HP from every summon, allowing him to survive the   
powerful attacks.   
The battle continued like that for a long time. Tifa was back on her feet   
watching nervously. She hated seeing this and not being able to take part. That   
thing was deadly. She could see that Cloud was handling it well, and was falling   
into a pattern consisting of miming his initial summon every turn. If it was   
working, she supposed, then there was no reason to stop.   
Just as she was about to run in and help, despite being told not to, the   
giant creature fell to the desert with a giant thud.   
Cloud came out of the sand, looking tired, but happy.   
"You did it!" she shouted.   
"Yea," was his reply "Let's go get that bird." 

Back in the town of Kalm, the panic that Meteor had spun, had not   
seemed to take hold. It was as peaceful as always.   
"So, who told you he would give you a Gold Chocobo if you gave him   
this?" Cloud held up the desert rose.   
"The person who lives in that house there," she pointed to the corner of   
the village.   
"Alright, then."   
"Before we go get the bird, why don't we rest first?" Tifa suggested.   
Cloud nodded, they had been walking for quite a while, and the fight had   
been long and hard.   
They stayed at a small inn, despite the fact that the cost was enormous.   
The rooms had been comfortable enough and they had alot of money to spare.   
"Sleep well? Tifa asked him the next morning when he met her in the   
main square.   
"Yea. You?"   
"Uh huh."   
"Which house did you say it was?" he asked again.   
"That one in the corner. Here, give me the rose, I'll go trade it."   
He handed her the rose and waited outside the house. She emerged a   
few moments later leading a golden bird.   
"Do you know how to ride one?"   
"I think so. We're pretty near to the coast, let's go. It's early, we can   
probably be back by night."   
They mounted the bird in town and rode off.   
An hour later they were in the middle of the ocean.   
"How is this possible?" Tifa muttered to herself as she watched the bird   
gallop easily across the water.   
"I can see the island," Cloud called back to her.   
Straining over his shoulder, she could see that they were about to go   
over the mountain surrounding it.   
A minute later they were on the island.   
"That bird is fast," she commented "You go get whatever's inside there,   
I'll make sure the bird doesn't get away."   
"Good idea. If it got away, we'd have a long swim." 

The inside of the cave was dark. After his eyes adjusted he could see   
the only light was a red glow in the middle. A red glow that almost looked like a   
summon materia.   
Questions forming in his mind he walked over and picked it up. The   
name rang in his mind "Knights of the Round"   
'Why is it here?' 

Tifa stood outside, watching the entrance as Cloud came out. He was   
holding a piece materia in his hand.   
"What was it?"   
"Materia. A summon. Ever hear of "Knights of the Round?"   
"No."   
"Well, let's just hope it's effective against Sepiroth," he said bluntly.   
Tifa nodded uncertailny, "Better keep it away from Yuffie."   
"I was planning to. It took us a long time to get here," he said eyeing the   
sky. The sun was on its downward curve, sitll not dark, but leaving only 4 or 5   
hours of daylight. "If we hurry, we can make it before dark, but I don't think the   
bird would appreciate us pushing it that much, especially after it had been   
running all moring."   
The bird looked at him and made a sound.   
"The ocean is filled with islands that we could stop at, but I think we   
should head straight back," Tifa said, eyeing the sky.   
"Yeah..."   
They mounted the bird again and started at a fast pace. Once again,   
Tifa found herself staring at the water as they flew over it. She wondered how it   
stayed on top, but kept the question unvoiced.   
The chocobo kept a good pace, slowing sometimes, but recovering in a   
quick burst of speed.   
Night came slowly, the sky turning purple, then darkening to black. The   
stars came out one by one, looking for all the world like diamonds floating in the   
sky above.   
Before long, she could tell the bird was beginning to tire. She voiced her   
concen.   
"I know, but I think we're almost there," was his reply.   
The bird had obviously taked a different course back. When they hit dry   
land, they were no where near Kalm, instead, in the distance was the distinct   
shape of the Chocobo farm.   
Cloud sighed, at least they would have somewhere to sleep that naight.   
"I'll go see if we can leave our bird here," he said, and headed into the   
yard. A while later he was back.   
"We can stay here for the night. In the morning, we can catch a wild   
Chocobo, and ride down to Junon."   
"Junon?" Tifa asked.   
"We're metting Cid and the others there. 

The next morning was bright and clear. They fought around the farm for   
awhile, and were rewarded with a decent, if slightly slow bird.   
As soon as they were in view of the city tifa grimiced "I hate this place,   
too dark and damp."   
"I don't really like it either. C'mon, let's go."   
They got off the bird and watched as it ran away. Right inside the   
entrance stood Vincent, looking as if he had been waiting for them.   
"What's wroung?" Cloud asked, noting the look of concern on his face.   
"What took you so long? I thought you were just going to Midgar."   
"We got a bit sidetracked," Tifa explained "Where is everyone?"   
"Yuffie took all our materia again, so Cid and Barret went after her. Red 13   
had to go back to Cosmo Canyon - some kind of trouble there. He mentioned   
something about a flame going out. But we can't wait aby longer. Meteor is   
dangerously close."   
"If we have to go now we can," Cloud assured him "I have some materia,   
plus the one we just got," he paused for a second "Have you ever heard of   
"Knights of the Round?"   
Vincent hesatated, something about it sounded vagley familiar, a legend   
her had heard in his childhood. "I think I heard something about it in a legend -   
something super powerful hidden away, right?"   
"Something like that," Cloud affirmed "It's our best chance to beat   
Sepiroth and any Jenovas we run into."   
Vincent looked at him doubtfully but said nothing. Tifa nodded, not   
looking the happiest.   
"It would be easier if everyone was here and we were fully equipped, but   
we can't go around mastering another set of materia so..." she trailed off.   
"We should leave as soon as possible. I have a Gold Chocobo at the   
farm, so we shouldn't have too much trouble getting up to the crater. We're   
going to have to walk to the farm, so we have to be careful."   
They nodded, but there was nothing else they could do as they began to   
walk. 

At the farm, their Chocobo stood in the middle of the fenced in area. It   
stood out among the others, they were just plain yellow. There was a blue one,   
but that one was hiding in the corner.   
The bird saw them approach and made a happy sound.   
Cloud disappeared in the house and came out a minute later followed by   
the farm's owner who unlocked the gate and let the bird out.   
Cloud was the first one to get on, followed closely by Tifa and a more   
reluctant Vincent.   
"Don't worry, our combined weight isn't enought to bother it," Cloud   
remarked, as he watched Vincent slowly climb on.   
"You never know," Vincent replied.   
Tifa laughed at him as he climbed on then nearly fell off. On his second   
try he managed to stay on and once again they were flying across the landscape   
on the back of the golden creature.   
The land ran out and they were on ocean. The air slowly got colder.   
Within a half hour, they were on the Northern Continent, and within another 25   
minutes they were staring down into the seemingly bottomless pit of the large   
hole in the ground.   
"Do you think the Chocobo can make it down there?" Vincent asked.   
"Don't know," Cloud replied, "I don't want to try though, we don't know   
the condition of the path is. It might hold it - but if it doesn't, we could be in   
trouble."   
Before Vincent could say anthing in response, a violent gust of wind   
buffetted them, almost causing Tifa to fall into the pit. She managed to regain   
her balance, and almost slipped again as a chunk of ice underneath her feet   
became dislodged. Cloud grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the rim.   
"Thanks," she muttered, embarassed at not being more cautios.   
She shivered, becoming aware of the bitter cold. "It's getting really cold up here."   
"You're right, it's probably warmer down there. Let's get going."   
The three of them, shivering from the cold, and fear beginning to make   
itself known within them, headed down into the dark depths.   
The crater had been fairly easy to navigate when them came to the split.   
"Which way?" Vincent asked, looking between the two paths.   
"I don't think it matters," Cloud said, his voice distant.   
"Then let's go to the right," Tifa said and headed in that direction before   
they could protest. They followed her.   
The path ended abruptly. Looking over the side, Cloud could see that it   
continued in a downward spiral. They would have to climb down before they   
could walk again.   
"I hope you guys dont't mind climbing."   
"Why?" Tifa asked, with Vincent asking at almost the same time.   
"The path continues, but we have to climb to get down to it. Shouldn't be   
that hard, though," Cloud said, looking at them.   
"Well, we don't really have any choice," Vincent reasoned "Unless we   
want to go back and try the other path."   
"Thanks but no," Tifa said firmly "Let's just climb."   
They got down the spiral quickly and found nothing of intrest in the   
connecting rooms, so they continued straight.   
"We could have brought the bird down here," Vincent complained.   
"Shut up!" Tifa shouted at him.   
Cloud mentally thanked her.   
They came to a strange ledge. Floating in front of it were boulders,   
heading further into the planet. Cloud stared at these for a moment, wondering   
how it was possible for rocks like that to float how they were.   
"Sepiroth's down there," Cloud whispered, so quietly that he didn't   
expect the others to hear him.   
Tifa looked at him "Then we'd better hurry," she said quietly.   
Vincent looked between the two, not saying anything, just looking. He   
was beginning to have second thoughts. When he had joined them, he had been   
expecting to get his revenge and then leave. In no way had he expected to be   
standing in the middle of the planet, trying to kill an elusive man. Vincent almost   
turned back, but then he saw the look in his companions eyes. A look of   
determanation, courage, acceptance of what they were going to do, and hatred.   
It was that look that kept Vincent down in that crater. How would he live with   
himself if he turned back, knowing that his friends may die, and Meteor would hit.   
He didn't want to die hating himself. Turning away from them he composed   
himself and then, facing them again walked over to them.   
"We can't turn back now," Vincent said, voice now filled with   
determanation. While he may never feel the same as they did, he would do all   
he could to help.   
"Right."   
They jumped onto the rock one by one, afraid that they might cause it to   
fall to the depths below.   
Around them, the air grew misty. It became harder to see, and they   
moved slowly, not wanting to miss a step.   
On every rock was a battle, none of them which caused any particular   
diffuclty, or threatened them with much danger.   
Despite the fact that they weren't having trouble, the fact that there was   
no one to help them with the upcoming battle unnerved Cloud more than he   
wanted to admit. He had a feeling that the others felt the same way.   
Cloud looked down at the last rock before the center. Something was   
sitting on it, and that shape could only be Jenova. Which one, he didn't know.   
"Get prepared," he said to the others.   
"Cloud, you have the materia, so you're going to have to do the most   
attacking. We'll stand back and use our limit breaks as soon as we can," Vincent   
told him.   
"Use Bahamut Zero first - we don't know how desperate the situation will   
become. Only use Knights of the Round if there's no other way," Tifa added.   
Cloud nodded. This was going to be fun. Bracing himelf for a tough   
battle, he lept down to the final rock, with Vincent and Tifa close behind.   
They took the classic battle formation. Cloud in the front center with   
Vincent and Tifa to his sides and slightly behind him. Determined to attack first,   
Cloud lifted his materia "Bahamaut Zero! Twice!" he shouted, as the two pieces   
of materia glittered in his hand. Bahamut came, and began attacking the giant   
beast. The three watched from back further, where the summoned monster could   
not hurt them. The summon finished and Jenova attacked, a powerful one that   
allowed Tifa and Vincent to launch into their limits, causing large amounts of   
damage in a single blow.   
Cloud watched them, and then mimed his initial attack. After 5 rounds of   
that stratgey, Jenova fell. They had won the battle, but were still a long way from   
winning the war.   
"Everyone, use Potions to heal yourself, we're not going to need them   
later anyway," Cloud ordered. Tifa nodded and threw an X-Potion on herself,   
and Vincent threw two Hi-Potions.   
"Sepiroth is down there. We have to do this. To save the planet!"   
Vincent said, not feeling any of the confidence that he spoke with.   
"To save the planet!" Cloud and Tifa echoed.   
"I wonder what's going to happen when this is over," Tifa whispered to   
herself, looking at her companions - no - her friends. Whatever was going to   
happen, they would take it together.   
  
The core of the planet, or that's where they thought they were, glowed   
with an eerie blue light. The light hid everything inside of it, but it diminished as   
they watched. The space that it revealed was empty. The trio stared at it, none   
of them moving, not wanting to go down, but knowing that every moment they   
wasted Meteor came closer.   
They were deep in the core, and it might protect them - but that wouldn't do   
good. The surface would be ruined and they would die anyway. Might as well go   
out hereos.   
On an unspoken signal they advanced toward the final rock, not knowing   
what to expect.   
Suddenly a figure appeared. He landed softly a couple of feet in front of   
them, laughing. "You're more foolish than I though," he hissed menacingly. "You   
can't win. Soon I will be part of the planet, after I kill you."   
"No," Cloud whispered, that single word contaning more anger than a   
scream. "No."   
Sepiroth seemed suprized by the reaction. His eyes met Clouds and the   
gaze that passed between them was enough to shrivel the strongest person.   
Tifa put her hand on Clouds shoulder, but he brushed it away. She was   
slightly stung, but understood.   
"You won't win, not without your companions. Even if you get lucky,   
Meteor will impact in a matter of hours..." he left the sentence trailing, allowing   
each of the people in front of him to come to their own conclusion.   
A look of horror crossed Tifas face. Even if they won, the would still lose.   
Vincent kept his face blank. All that this meant to him was that he would   
die sooner that before, a suitable punishment.   
Cloud set his jaw, and between clenched teeh hissed "Ultimate End,   
twice!"   
Sepiroth looked at him, as if laughing at him.   
Tifa gasped and shouted at him "What are you doing? You don't know   
what will happen!"   
Cloud didn't even glance at her. This had to work, it had to.   
Sepiroth didn't even flinch as the 13 knights descended upon him,   
battering him with powerful psysical and magic attacks. And the second time, he   
didn't even seem to weaken.   
Cloud looked at him in horror. He screamed "Mime" and watched as it   
happened again. This time, though, something was happening. The Knights   
were doing damage, and Sepiroth was weakening.   
After they were finished, Sepiroth attacked, a powerful attack that   
immediatley filled all of their limits. Vincent opted out of his, he didn't want to   
transform. Tifa on the other hand, took full advantage of the situation "Final Heaven" She   
shouted and launched into her attack.   
Cloud did also. "Omnislash!" he shouted, and handed out blow after   
blow of powerful attacks.   
Sepiroth staggered, and fell, apparrantly defeated.   
  
On the surface, Holy reached out for Meteor, but instead of repelling it, it   
pulled it in further. Suddenly, without warning, the lifestream surged, managing   
to do what Holy could not. Meteor slowly stopped and then shattered into a   
million tiny bits, raining down harmlessely down over the planet. 

Underneath, though, thew situation was grim. It appeared that they had   
won, but now thery were stuck with no way out. When the lifestream had   
surfaced, it had destroyed their chain of rocks that they had climbed down on.   
"Anyoune have any ideas?" Cloud asked.   
Vincent shook his head slowly, and Tifa looked to the ground.   
"We're stuck," she whispered her voice devoid of any emotion. "But we   
beat him, and gave the planet another chance - if the surface is still ok," she   
added, sounding slightly brighter.   
"There has to be a way out," Cloud was saying, when Sepiroth was   
suddenly in front of them again.   
"Pitiful. Do you really think that you can defeat me that easily?" he   
asked, his tone mocking.   
"Impossible," Vincent whispered "You couldn't have survived that.   
There's no way."   
"If you were paying any attenton at all, then you would've known that   
that wasn't me. A mere illusion. Illusions can't be harmed."   
Cloud shuddred. Another illusion, a mind trick. He had been fooled by   
them before and had promised himself that he would reconize them in the future.   
He had been wrong. They had underestimated the power of Sepiroth, and now   
they would pay.   
Before any of them could react, Sepiroth cast another powerful spell   
"Heartless Angel". Thy found themselves nearly wiped out, with no curative   
spells and a supply of potions that was almost gone.   
"Vincent, Tifa, take the potions," Cloud said slowly, his tone one of no   
argument.   
Tifa glared at him, wanting to protest, but she could see his logic. As   
much as she hated to admit it, she knew that he was stronger, and could hold   
out longer than she or Vincent could. Flashing him a small smile she threw an X-   
Potion on her and felt a surge of strength run through her body. Vincent, looking   
at the X-Potion in his hand, hesitated to use it. He didn't deservive to live, after   
the things he had almost done. No, Cloud should take it. He voiced that and the   
offer was refused.   
Vincent looked at him - he obviously wanted it, but wanted his friends to live more that   
he wanted to. Now, looking back, Vincent was ashamed at himself. He had almost turned back   
and left them. A couple of times, knowing that they had stood little chance against their   
opponents, had nearly turned them it. He could not live like that. Throwing the X-Potion on   
himself, he vowed to do all he could to see that Sepiroth was destroyed.   
  
Sepiroth stood in front of them, watching the pitiful show of affection. He   
could have killed any one of them easily, yet didn't. Let them fight if they wanted   
to, it wouldn't matter. Instead, he would play with them. Smiling wickedly, he cast   
Heartless Angel again. 

Tifa fell to her knees, devastated. They couldn't last. It was apparant that   
Sepiroth was playing with them, and had no intention of stopping. From the look   
on Vincents face, she could see that he had come to a similar conclusion.   
  
From nowhere came a pale green light. It swiriled around them, creating   
what seemed to be a shield and healing them. At the same time, Seoiroth was   
blown backwards, into the abyss below. Then, the green light   
disappeared.   
"What was that?" Vincent asked, not expecting a reply.   
"Aeris," Cloud muttered "Thank you."   
Tifa smiled, and Vincent still looked confused. Aeris had helped them   
when they needed it, and had probable saved almost the entire population of the   
planet at the same time.   
"We still have the problem of getting out," Vincent pointed out, looking   
upwards toward where they had come.   
"He's still here," Cloud said.   
"What?"   
"Sepiroth."   
"How do you know?"   
"I just do."   
"Where is he?"   
In response, Cloud walked over to the side and jumped down. 

There was no ground, that was the first thing he noticed, and there were   
stars around them. 'Almost like Bugenhagen's machine,' he thought.   
Sepiroth was standing opposite of him, and Cloud knew that this would   
be the final time they met, no matter what the outcome of this was. He knew that   
he wouldn't be here for long, either, so he had to make it count.   
The summom wouldn't work, a waste of time and little real damage. The   
kill had to be physical, so he waited, feeling his Limit fill up quicker than normal.   
Before Sepiroth could attack, Cloud shouted "Omnislash!" and ran to him   
attacking, each slice more powerful than the last. Sepiroth fell, this time   
defeated. The world was finally rid of the threat.   
After Sepiroth fell, Cloud felt himself black out. When he woke up, he   
was on the surface, Tifa and Vincent a short distance away. 

The island was still in the middle of the ocean. They had gotton there   
through creative means, a small boat, and mountian climbing equipment.   
Cloud stared at the small red orb in his hand. Vincent had thought it was   
crazy to put it back, but he had noticed that after it had been used, the cavern   
had been wider, the rock chipped out by an invisible force. He couldn't take the   
risk that is was Sepiroth's attacks that did it, reasoning that such a powerful   
piece of materia must have some effect on the area around it, that it could   
destroy not only its intended target, but the area around it as well.   
It was better that they put it back. It might be needed again. 

Cloud looked back at the island as Tifa steered the boat towards the   
mainland. None of them spoke, there were no words to be said.   
Around them the water streched on seemingly forever, and two voices seemed to float   
on the wind. Aeris's and another womans, sounding like a half forgotton memory, as if telling   
them they did the right thing. He had doubted before, but hearing that, all doubts were gone from   
his mind, and he watched the shore come closer. 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Dying dreams,   
A half forgotton memory,   
A past long gone,   
Loves long gone. 

Dying dreams,   
A future foretold,   
Choices to be made,   
A life to be made. 

A new hope,   
A road being forged,   
Past mistakes remembered,   
New ones to come. 

Just something I wrote that I thought fit with this   
________________________________________________________________________   


So, What did you think? Please E-mail me your comments at star_dreamer_421@excite.com 

Notes:   
I wrote this when I was extremly bored. It is one of my better pieces, probably because I   
had three people staring over my shoulder as I was writing it. .   
The characters contained within do no belong to me, with the exception of Xala, and I am   
not making any money off of this.   
If you want to put this on your site, you may, just tell me so I can put a link to you site on   
mine at http://www.crosswinds.net/~ninn/nonsw.htm 


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